WO2001089209A2

WO2001089209A2 - System and method for enabling alternate viewing modes of a play device in response to an advertisement disruption command

Info

Publication number: WO2001089209A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/012631
Authority: WO
Inventors: William Krewin; Derek Minno; Richard Roberts; Charles P. Kollar
Original assignee: Jovio
Priority date: 2000-05-18
Filing date: 2001-04-18
Publication date: 2001-11-22
Also published as: WO2001089209A3; AU2001251672A1

Abstract

A system and method for substituting an alternate message in response to the command to disrupt a first message wherein the system determines the identifying code of a first message (105) and detects a command to disrupt the first message (106). The systems locates an alternate message, if available (107) and matches the alternate message with the play capabilities of the play device (109). The device (104) is then instructed to play the alternate message (110).

Description

TITLE

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING ALTERNATE VIEWING MODES OF A PLAY DEVICE IN RESPONSE TO AN ADVERTISEMENT DISRUPTION COMMAND

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The subject invention is related to systems and methods for enabling alternate modes in a play device and, more particularly, to systems and methods for playing alternate messages in response to a command to disrupt a first message.

Description of the Prior Art

In the prior art, many types of devices have been developed for producing visually and audibly perceptible outputs. Some examples of such devices include television sets, radio sets and phonograph players. For many years, such devices produced video and audio outputs in immediate response to an. input signal such as a broadcast TV or cable TV signal, or they were responsive to a locally stored database such as a phonorecord. The originator of the broadcast program or the stored database controlled the content of each program and the available technology did not readily admit to modifications of that programming or database. Accordingly, these original programs and databases contained various secondary messages such as advertisements and the operators of the play devices had little control to avoid or disrupt such secondary messages.

Technological improvements led to the concept of "time-shifting" whereby a broadcast program was recorded on a remote device and, under limited circumstances, was replayed at a later time. Recording the program on the remote device created the possibility for the operator of the recording device to modify replay of the recorded broadcast programming, within the capabilities of the recording device. Most notably, recording of the broadcast program allowed the device operator to exercise a fast-forward option to speed through certain portions of the recorded program, particularly advertisements.

Over time, technology improved so that the locally stored database came to be embodied in video tape players, DVD players, CD players and other devices that also had the capability of limited, operator-controlled play modification. For example, these play devices were capable of fast-forward, rewind, slow motion and play functions. Improvements by some manufacturers even added "ad jump" features that purported to selectively fast-forward through advertisements.

In many cases, programming has continued to be sold in database form. One advantage of this format for the operator of the replay device is that this generally affords improved image and audio quality in comparison to broadcast recordings. One disadvantage to the operator of the replay device is that this has sometimes allowed the programming originator to limit or even eliminate the operator ability to fast-forward through selected portions of the programming by embedding operator override commands in the database. One example of such an override mechanism is shown in U.S. Patent 5,005,099. Recently, further technological improvements have introduced personal video devices that offer a time-shift delay for regular broadcast programming. These devices afford the viewer even broader capability to modify the recorded replay. For example, in some personal video recording devices, the operator can temporarily suspend programming by a command to the recording device. The device then digitally stores the broadcast signal until the operator issues a command to begin playing again. Thereafter, the program is played from the stored database. In this way, operator does not involuntarily miss any programming content. Optionally, however, since a portion of the broadcast program is stored, the operator can fast-forward through all or any portion of the stored program, including advertisements. Such personal video recording technologies have further developed so as to record programming according to the preference commands of the operator of the play device. For example, an operator can instruct some recording devices to search available electronic guides to identify particular programs or types of programs or particular actors or actresses. The personal video recorder will then record some or all of the available programming, subject to any other imposed limitations. Later, the operator can select and view the recorded content, subject to pause, fast^Lforward, rewind, delete and other editing commands.

Furthermore, the more recent devices generally record the programming in digital format. This not only has improved the quality of the recorded program, but also has expanded greatly the capability to re-record the same program without loss of quality. In addition, this has simplified editing of the recorded programming. With these devices it is easier to disrupt the normal play mode of the recorded program as, for example, by fast forwarding, or even to entirely eliminate supplemental messages, such as advertisements. The new capability of time-shifted, personal video recording of broadcast television as well as distributed audio and visual content is preferable for many viewers and listeners who desire to limit or avoid advertising messages. It is anticipated that the behavior of many viewers and listeners would follow those preferences. -However, such wholesale editing is generally adverse to the interests of sources of cable and broadcast programming because they rely heavily on advertising revenue. To the extent that program viewing becomes time-shifted in the manner described above, broadcast networks and program producers will be disadvantaged. Namely, the advertisers may not credit them with advertisements that are viewed as a part of a recorded broadcast. Even if advertisers were to credit networks and producers with viewing of time-shifted advertisements, it is unlikely that any credit would be extended for advertisements that are bypassed or fast-forwarded.

Therefore, there was a need for networks and producers to recognize the established place of advertisers in the broadcast and cable TV industry. However, networks and producers also recognize a need for certain deference to the viewing preferences and behaviors of consumers. Accordingly, there was a need in the prior art to allow the industry to selectively limit or modify the capability of personal video recorders. That is, there was a need to selectively limit the capability of personal video recorders to modify or delete the content of supplemental messages such advertisements that are integrated with other programming content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the subject invention, a system and method is provided wherein an alternate message is played in response to a command to disrupt the normal play mode of a first message. The system detects the concurrence of the first message and a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the play device. Upon detecting that condition, the system seeks an alternate identifying code that corresponds to an alternate message. If an alternate identifying code is located, the system will select an alternate play mode for the alternate message, and play the alternate message. Preferably, the system for playing alternate messages selects the

^" alternate play mode according to the various play capabilities of the particular play device.

More preferably, the alternate play mode preferences are selected by selecting a preferred alternate play mode from among those play modes that are available on the play device and then determining the play elements that correspond to the selected alternate play mode.

Other objects, advantages and features of the presently disclosed invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a presently preferred embodiment of the subject Invention proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A presently preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention is shown and described in connection with the accompanying Figure which is a flow diagram that describes the system and method that is herein disclosed. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The accompanying Figure is a flow diagram depicting a software flow chart. The presently disclosed embodiment relates to video players, DVD players, CD players, computers and other devices of the type that play sensory perceptible messages in response to input signals. The input signals to the play device can be provided from a prerecorded storage device such as a digital video disk ("DVD"), a compact disk read only memory ("CD-ROM"), a computer memory, or any similar data storage device. Alternatively, the play device can be responsive to signals that are broadcast or that are transmitted through other media such as cable or satellite. Play devices have various modes for playing recorded or transmitted data. Frequently, a single play device also will have several alternate mode play capabilities. One example of a play mode that is commercially available is "picture-in-picture" ("PIP") wherein a smaller foreground picture is shown within the border of a larger picture. Further details of one embodiment of a PIP play mode are shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 4,729,027, the disclosure which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference. Another example of a play mode that is available in some devices is "text-over-video" wherein text is displayed over a background image. Further details of a text- over- video mode are shown and described in connection with U.S. Patent 4,991,011, the disclos re of which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference. Still another play mode is "video-over-text" wherein text is displayed behind a foreground video image. In addition to the formatting as mentioned above, each of these play modes can also occur in one of the several play speeds, which are usually stated in terms of frames-per-second. Still other combinations are also sometimes used in various play devices. The foregoing formatting and play speed modes are summarized in the following table: TABLE I

Example Device Fast Forward Capabilities

In some circumstances when a play message of the device has been disrupted or the normal play mode of the device has been altered, it is desirable to provide an alternate message for play. For example, in cases Where an advertising message is disrupted by a fast-forward command to the play device, it may be preferable to provide an alternate play mode while the fast-forward command is active. In this way, an alternate advertising message can be substituted for the original advertising message.

The Figure illustrates a system and method for the preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the various steps in a flow chart designate computer software. As is known to those skilled in the art, the particular software code that is selected is dependent on the details of the specific play device in which the invention is used. As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, the particular details of the programming code can be developed without undue experimentation by applying conventional computer programming skills such as are generally known to computer programmers and software engineers.

As particularly shown in the Figure, in the preferred embodiment the subject play device is given a start command at 101. As part of a conventional initialization process, at 102 the device software reads and records the various play mode capabilities for the particular device. For the example of this preferred embodiment, the device capabilities are those stated in Table I.

The device play mode capability information can be provided in various formats and mechanisms. In the preferred embodiment, the device play mode capability is provided from a device configuration file that is located on a secondary storage device 103. Alternatively, the same information could be provided from an application program interface that is supplied by the manufacturer of the play device.

After initialization is completed, the play device enters the normal play mode as indicated at 104. During the normal play mode, the disclosed system and method monitors the programming content to detect the presence of a first message. In the particular example of the preferred embodiment, the first message is an advertisement, although the disclosed invention is sufficiently broad to include other examples of distinct messages of signals that are inserted into an information stream. For the example of the preferred embodiment, the advertisement can be a targeted message that is stored in a database that is located on the play device. Alternatively, it can be a message that is recorded directly in the programming content as, for example, part of a broadcast message. In either case, the play device receives an identifying code, such as an insertion order, by which the first message is identified at step 105. In the case of a broadcast, for example, the broadcast includes an insertion order that states the network/ affiliate call letters, date, scheduled program broadcast time, and the play position (expressed in time). This insertion order data is compared to an advertisement ID field to determine whether an advertisement is being played. Alternatively, the broadcast may incorporate an indicator that is checked to determine whether there is an advertisement ID.

At step 106, the disclosed method and system detects a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the play device. For example, in the case where the first message is an advertisement, the command detected at 106 could be a command to fast-forward the advertisement. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the system and method that are identified at 105 and 106 serve to detect the identifying code of the first message in concurrence with the command to disrupt the normal play mode of the play device. Because the system and method detects these two conditions in combination, it will also be apparent that the order of 105 and 106 can be reversed and that such reversed order of these steps is equally within the scope of the invention that is herein disclosed.

In response to a detected command to disrupt the normal play mode of the first message in combination with the identifying code, the disclosed system attempts to match, at 107, an alternate identifying code to the identifying code of the first message. For example, when the first message is an advertisement, at 107 the system searches for an insertion order with an advertisement ID that matches the advertisement ID of the first message. For the example of the preferred embodiment, a specimen alternate insertion order is shown in Table II below.

TABLE II Example Insertion Order

;identifyer for this insertion order ;unique identifyer for the original ad ;insert from local file or from broadcast ;use first match indevice capabilities table ;information about the alternate background playing ;0 to n videoframes and/or seconds of audio jinformation about the alternate foreground playing ;0 to n video frames and/or seconds of audio

The insertion order for the alternate message includes a plurality of fields that are identified in Table II. As shown in Table II, these fields include an insertion order number, an advertisement ID, a source mode, and an alternate mode preference. Additional fields that are used in subsequent steps to further define the alternate message are also included.

If no alternate identifying code is found at 107 to match the identifying code of the first message, then at 108 the device is allowed to continue to play in the normal mode, subject to any specific operator commands. Thus, if the first message is an advertisement, and no alternate insertion order number, advertisement ID and source mode is identified at step 107, then the advertisement is played, subject to a fast-forward command.

However, if a matching identifying code is found at 107, then at 108 the system elects to seek an alternate play mode at 109 from the list of play mode capabilities that was stored at 102 from source 103. For example, if an insertion order with a matching insertion order number and advertisement ID is found at 107, then from 108 the system seeks an alternate play mode of the alternate message at 109. More specifically, the system and method proceeds to step 109 wherein the alternate mode preference of the matching insertion order that was identified at step 107 is matched to the capabilities of the play device. The alternate mode preference states the order of preference of the insertion order for given play mode capabilities. At step 109, the system compares this order of preference to the actual capabilities of the play device that were read at step 102. The highest preferred play mode that is available is then selected.

In the specific example of the presently preferred embodiment, the alternate mode preference parameter 107d lists the alternate play modes in order of preference. For example, the alternate mode preferences could be listed as PIP, text-over- video, and video-over-text in that order. Thus, the alternate mode preference would select PIP if that were available on the play device. If PIP is not available, then the alternate mode preference selects text- over- video. If that is not available, then the alternate mode preference selects video-over-text. Each of the alternate play modes is associated with respective foreground and background elements also according to their availability in the device capability file. More specifically, each of the alternate play modes is associated with a respective alternate background header 107e, alternate background media 107f, alternate foreground header 107g, and alternate background media 107h. The alternate background header 107e and the alternate foreground header 107g each contain information that is specific to the playing of the respective background and foreground elements of the alternate advertisement.

In the example of the preferred embodiment, if the play device has all three play capabilities, PIP, text-over- video, and video-over-text, then the system would select PIP because it is listed as most preferred in the alternate mode preference field 107d of the alternate insertion order. The system selects the background and foreground elements for the PIP from the corresponding alternate foreground header 107g and the alternate background header 107e. By way of more specific example, the selected PIP mode plays a fifteen second video commercial in a background picture at thirty frames per second while the original thirty second commercial is played at 60 frames per second in a smaller picture in one quadrant of the viewing screen. To accomplish this result, the background header 107e for the PIP alternate mode contains the background play speed of 30 frames per second ("FPS30") (which is the normal viewing speed) as identified in the device capabilities file 103d. Background header 107e also identifies the type of media in the header as full motion video ("FMV") and the duration of the video as fifteen seconds ("DUR15"). The alternate background media 107f is the actual video in MPEG-2 format or other suitable format. Alternatively, the alternate background media 107f could be a pointer to a file that contains the MPEG-2 stream.

Also in the example of the selected PIP, the foreground header 107g contains information about the positioning and play speed of the smaller picture in a picture. The foreground header 107g specifies sixty frames per second ("FPS60") which matches a device capability 103e in the device capabilities file from 102. Foreground header 107g also identifies the media in the header as the original thirty second advertisement.

At 110, the system instructs the play device to play the alternate advertisement. Since the background play speed is twice as fast as the foreground speed and the background advertisement is twice as long as the foreground advertisement, the background and foreground advertisements end at the same time. As another specific example, if the play device did not have PIP capability but did have text-over- video capability, at 109 the system would select text- over- video as the second preference listed in alternate mode preferences 107d of the insertion order. In this alternate, the background is the advertisement and the foreground is text. Alternate background header 107e contains FPS60, which enables the advertisement to play at twice the normal speed. No alternate background media 107f is required since no alternate advertisement is required for the background. The alternate foreground header 107g includes parameters that specify how the text (e.g. font, position, transparency level) and graphics (e.g. positioning, transparency level) are displayed over the background. Alternate foreground media 107h contains the actual text and graphics that are displayed. Alternatively, alternate foreground media 107h could contain pointers to the actual text and graphics that are displayed in the foregroμnd. ^" Still another specific example is the case where the device has only video- over-text replay capability and does not have either PIP or text-over-vldeo capability. In this example, a static background format is displayed behind a full motion video frame. The foreground header 107g contains information about the positioning and play speed of the foreground picture. The foreground header 107g specifies thirty frames per second ("FPS30") which matches a device capability 103d in the device capabilities file from 102. Foreground header 107g could also identify the type of media in the header as full motion video ("FMV") and duration of the video as fifteen seconds ("DUR15"). The alternate foreground media 107h is the actual video in MPEG- 2 format or other suitable format. Alternatively, the alternate foreground media 107h is a pointer to a file that contains the MPEG-2 stream.

The background header 107e includes parameters that specify how the text (e.g. font, position, transparency level) and graphics (e.g. positioning, transparency level) are displayed. Alternate background media 107f contains the actual text and graphics that are displayed or, alternatively, contains pointers to the actual text and graphics that are displayed in the background. The system herein disclosed is readily adaptable to future modifications and improvements in the capabilities of play devices. This is because the play capabilities of each play device are input to the disclosed system during the initialization of the play device at 102. Furthermore, new insertion orders can maintain compatibility with prior devices by specifying a range of historical device capabilities in the alternate mode preference of the alternate insertion order.

While a presently preferred embodiment of the subject invention has been shown and described herein, the scope of the invention is not strictly limited thereto but can also be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for playing an alternate recorded message on a play device that produces sensory outputs in response to a program signal and in response to a first message signal that has an identifying code, said method for playing an alternate recorded message being responsive to the disruption of the normal play mode of the first message signal, said method comprising: detecting a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the. first message at times when the system receives the first message signal, said first message signal including an insertion order; matching an alternate identifying code to the identifying code of the first message; selecting an alternate play mode from a menu of play capabilities; and playing the alternate message according to the selected alternate play mode.

2. The method of Claim 1 wherein said step of selecting an alternate play mode comprises: matching the alternate play mode preferences to the capabilities of the play device.

3. The method of Claim 2 wherein said step of matching the alternate play mode preferences to the capabilities of the play device comprises: selecting a preferred alternate play mode from the play modes that are included in the capabilities of the play device; and determining the play elements that correspond to the selected alternate play mode.

4. The method of Claim 3 wherein said play elements comprise: foreground elements of the selected alternate play mode; and background elements of the selected alternate play mode.

5. The method of Claim 4 wherein the foreground elements of said selected alternate play mode include at least an alternate foreground header.

6. The method of Claim 4 wherein the background elements of said selected alternate play mode include at least an alternate background header.

7. The method of Claim 5 wherein the foreground elements of said selected alternate play mode further include an alternate foreground media.

8. The method of Claim 6 wherein the background elements of said selected alternate play mode further includes an alternate background media.

9. A method for playing an alternate recorded message in a play device, said alternate message being played in response to the disruption of the normal play mode of a first message, said method comprising: determining the play mode capabilities for the play device; identifying an insertion order that is included in the first message; detecting a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the first message; matching an alternate insertion order to the insertion order of the first message; selecting an alternate play mode from the menu of play capabilities; and playing the alternate message according to the selected alternate play mode.

10. In a system having a normal play mode and also having at least one other play mode, said system being responsive in the normal play mode to produce a first message in response to a first input signal, apparatus for playing an alternate recorded message in response to the disruption of the normal play mode of the first message, said apparatus comprising: means for detecting a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the first message at times when the system receives the first input signal, said first signal including an insertion order; means for matching an alternate insertion order to the insertion order of the first signal, said matching means being responsive to the out put of the identifying means and the detecting means; means for selecting a play mode for the alternate insertion order, said selecting means being responsive to the matching means; and means for playing the advertisement according to the selected play mode.

11. Apparatus for playing an alternate recorded message on a play device that has a normal play mode and that also has at least one other play mode, said play device producing sensory outputs in response to a program signal and in response to a first message signal that has an identifying code, said apparatus playing the alternate recorded message in response to disruption of the normal play mode of the first message signal, said apparatus comprising: means for detecting a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the play device in combination with receipt of the first message signal; means for matching an alternate identifying code to the identifying code of the first signal; means for selecting at least one alternate play mode other than the normal play mode ; and means for playing the alternate message according to the selected alternate play mode.

12. The apparatus of Claim 11 wherein said means for selecting at least one alternate play mode comprises: means for establishing the play mode capabilities of the play device; and means for matching the most preferred alternate play mode to the play mode capabilities of the play device.

13. The apparatus of Claim 12 wherein said means for matching the most preferred alternate play mode to the play mode capabilities of the play device comprises: means for selecting a most preferred alternate play mode from the play modes that are included in the capabilities of the play device; and means for determining the play elements that correspond to the selected most preferred alternate play mode.

14. The apparatus Claim 13 wherein said means for determining the play elements comprise: means for determining foreground elements of the selected alternate play mode; and means for determining background elements of the selected alternate play mode.

15. The apparatus of Claim 14 wherein the means for determining the foreground elements of the selected alternate play mode include at least an alternate foreground header.

16. The apparatus of Claim 14 wherein the means for determining the background elements of the selected alternate play mode include at least an alternate background header.

17. The apparatus of Claim 15 wherein the foreground elements of said selected alternate play mode further include an alternate foreground media.

18. The apparatus of Claim 16 wherein the background elements of said selected alternate play mode further includes an alternate background media.

19. A play device having a normal play mode and at least one other play mode, said play device playing an alternate recorded message in response to the disruption of the normal play mode of a first message, said play device comprising: means for determining the play mode capabilities for the play device; means for detecting a command to disrupt the normal play mode of the play device in combination with the first message; means for matching an alternate insertion order to the first message; means for selecting an alternate play mode from the play mode capabilities; and means for playing the alternate message according to the selected alternate play mode.

20. The play device of Claim 19 wherein said detecting means includes means for identifying an insertion order that is included in the first message.